Peggy Fikac: On Board

The Texas Medical Association and 18 other health care groups have decided to back a tax overhaul being promoted by Gov. Rick Perry.

Doctors had initially balked at the plan, which would expand a state business tax to cover them. They said their business is different from others.

Today, they signed off on a way to take into account those differences in the plan developed by a Perry-appointed tax panel headed by former comptroller John Sharp.

“No other profession is required by law to give away its products or services for free,” said Dr. Ladon W. Homer, TMA president-elect. “Today, we can say that the Texas Medical Association supports the Perry-Sharp tax plan because it recognizes physicians’ tremendous contribution to subsidizing Texas health care.”